This invention in general relates to a conveyor that will turn conveyed parts about a pivot axis, and more particularly, this invention discloses a lift and carry, or walking beam conveyor that will turn a conveyed part through a predetermined angle from a first upstream lift and carry conveyor section to a second downstream lift and carry conveyor section.
Lift and carry, or walking beam conveyors are well known in industry. Generally, this type of conveyor has a frame section upon which parts rest. A lift member is disposed vertically below and within this frame section and is periodically lifted vertically upwardly out of the frame section to lift the parts that are resting upon the frame section upwardly with it. A second drive member then drives the lift member in a direction along the conveyor path. Once the parts have been moved along the path to a certain extent, the lift member is brought vertically back downwardly within the frame member, and the parts are again rested on the frame member. By repeating these movements, and by having a series of these conveyors along a desired path, parts are moved along the desired path.
In modern conveyor environments, it is usually necessary to turn conveyed parts through a predetermined angle at certain points along the conveyor path. This may be necessary due to the location of two subsequential manufacturing steps for the parts. That is, there may be an angle between the output of a first manufacturing step and the input of the subsequent manufacturing step. When it is necessary to turn the conveyed parts about an angle, the prior art lift and carry conveyor are often inadequate. Other types of devices have been utilized to turn parts through an angle from a first lift and carry conveyor section to a second lift and carry conveyor section.
Turning mechanisms have been utilized that are mounted above the lift and carry conveyors and will reach downwardly, pick up the parts and turn them through the predetermined angle. These types of mechanisms are generally complex and expensive.
Lift and carry type conveyors are especially beneficial since each conveyor section will lift and carry a part an incremental distance and will keep the various parts separated by a set distance. In a device that will pick up the parts and turn them, such as mentioned above, it is much more difficult to keep the parts separated.
It is an object of the present invention to disclose a conveyor mechanism having a corner or turn section that will turn parts through a predetermined angle from one lift and carry conveyor section to a second lift and carry conveyor section.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to have such a corner section that is also a lift and carry conveyor section.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to have this corner lift and carry conveyor section be driven by the drive of one of the two lift and carry conveyor sections that it is connecting.
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to disclose such a device that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and formed of relatively few moving parts.